How to Save a Life
by likemycoffee
Summary: Jack has saved Ianto's life many times. Jack and Ianto but begins pre-series 1 during Ianto's childhood; now a COE-fix it. Spoilers for all of Torchwood and minor for Doctor Who: End of Time, but AU.
1. 1983

1983

'No, Mum. Look, I'm sorry alright.... yes I know Auntie Brenda's in hospital.... I'm sorry but Ifan can't just shut up the shop.... Mum, don't be like that.... because he's my husband and he's a good man...'

Jack Harkness watched the woman in the phone box with interest. She was certainly his type; dark hair, blue eyes. She sounded as though she was married though, that was a pity. She certainly had nice legs. Then the woman turned to the side and there was no mistaking the bump – she was pregnant.

Jack smiled to himself. He'd always found pregnancy slightly erotic. He felt vaguely guilty for thinking that way about a pregnant, married stranger but fantasies hurt nobody and she was gorgeous.

'Jack.'

The voice in his ear startled him from his thoughts.

'Have you found it yet?'

'No Phil,' he replied. 'I lost the signal. It's probably a false alarm. Weevils don't come out in the daytime.'

'Yeah, you're probably right. Ok, I guess you'd better come back in.'

Jack began walking back towards his car. He had just rounded the corner when he heard the scream. Turning suddenly, Jack saw the screaming was coming from the woman in the phone box.

The Weevil was snarling and trying to open the door to get to her. She was holding on to the handle and trying desperately to keep the door closed.

'Help me!' she was screaming. 'Please, somebody help!'

Jack didn't wait. He raced towards the weevil and flung himself at it. The weevil, sensing the new threat, rounded on him and lunged. Jack pulled his gun out but was a fraction too slow. The weevil sliced his arm as he attempted to dodge it and he fell to the floor, losing his weapon in the process.

The weevil moved in for the kill. Jack flinched, this was going to hurt.

There was a gunshot.

Jack opened his eyes. He looked around; the weevil was lying on the floor beside him; temporarily incapacitated.

Phone- box lady was standing in front of him; holding Jack's gun. He hands were shaking and she looked terrified.

'Oh my God,' she whispered. 'What have I done?'

'It's ok,' Jack said softly as he got to his feet.

'I killed... it. What the hell is it?'

'It's called a Weevil.' Jack answered honestly. 'It's an alien.'

'I didn't mean to kill it,' she continued. Clearly what Jack said hadn't registered with her in the shock. 'It was going to kill you; it was going to kill me; my baby.'

Jack reached out his hand and carefully took the gun from her shaking hands.

'You did the right thing,' he told her as he holstered the gun inside his coat.

'Are you feeling ok?'

She nodded her head slowly.

'Sit down right there,' he led her over to a bench. 'I'll be back ok? I need to take care of this and then I'll give you a ride home.'

Again she nodded he head.

Jack dragged the Weevil to his car and dumped it in the boot. Then he made his way back to where phone- box lady was sitting

'I'm Captain Jack Harkness,' he introduced himself.

'I'm Gladys, Gladys Jones.'

'Nice to meet you, Gladys, Gladys Jones,' he smiled.

'Thank you, Captain,' Gladys whispered. 'You saved me and my baby.' She placed her hands protectively on her stomach.

'How far along are you?' he asked. He needed her to calm down. Giving her Retcon while she was in a panicked state could harm the baby. Jack decided the best thing was to get her talking.

'Seven months. It's my second. I've got a little girl, Rhiannon – she's two. I left her with my neighbour while I popped out. Oh God that thing could have killed her.'

'It's ok,' Jack soothed her. 'She's safe. Thought about names yet for this little one?'

'Well – I like the name Myfanwy if it's a girl and then if it's a boy my husband Ifan wants to name him Ianto.'

'Ianto Jones – that's a good name.'

'Ifan's desperate for a little boy. I mean he'd love another girl too but he really wants a son, keeps saying he'll play rugby for Wales.'

Jack smiled. Gladys seemed to be calming.

'I'll give you a lift home,' he said.

'Was – that thing – really an alien?'

Jack nodded.

'Yes, Gladys it was – it's called a weevil. They come from another planet – we're not sure where exactly. They fall through a rift in space and time; end up in Cardiff; live in the sewers.'

Gladys opened and closed her mouth several times as she attempted to process this information.

'But – but what are you going to do with it?'

'I work for an organisation that deals with this sort of thing. We're called Torchwood.'

'Oh,' Gladys replied; apparently at a loss for anything else to say.

Jack grinned.

'Come on, I'll take you home.'

Five minutes later Jack pulled his car up outside Gladys Jones's house. It was a typical terrace on a quiet street. The area seemed rather well- to- do Jack thought.

'Will you come in for a drink, Captain? It's the least I can do.'

Jack flashed the trademark Harkness grin.

'I'd love to,' he replied and stepped out of the car making sure to pocket the Retcon as he did so.

'It'll have to be tea, I'm afraid; unless you can figure out how to use this thing.' She gestured to a new looking coffee machine standing on the worktop. 'I have no idea how it works. Ifan tells me it's simple but I can't get it to work. Of course I'd be happy with instant but Ifan,' she let out a sigh, 'he thinks suggesting you drink instant coffee is blasphemy.'

Jack laughed.

'I'll make it,' he said as they entered the kitchen. 'You have a seat – you're still shaken up.'

'Oh – thank you, Captain.'

'Please – Jack. Call me Jack.'

'Jack...' Gladys whispered.

She looked at him while he was making a pot of tea. He was gorgeous. He'd been so heroic charging to her rescue like that. It had been – sexy. She'd never been a damsel in distress before. Then she felt the baby kicking and she brought her hand to her stomach. She felt vaguely guilty and wondered of the baby was picking up on her thoughts.

'Shh,' she soothed. 'I was only having a look – he's nowhere near as good looking as your daddy.'

'What was that?' Jack asked.

Gladys blushed but tried to act innocent. She hadn't meant to speak out loud.

'Oh – nothing; I was just thinking, how close that thing came to hurting my little one.'

'Drink your tea,' Jack said. 'You'll feel better.'

Gladys did.

Jack drove back towards the Hub with the weevil still in the boot of his car. He smiled thinking about Gladys Jones.

_That chick had balls_.

He wondered if he would ever see her again. It was unlikely. She wouldn't remember him anyway – he'd planted nicer memories in her brain. She would remember talking with her mother on the phone, wandering around the shops and looking at baby clothes before taking the bus home and going for a lie down.

Two months later Jack was at his desk absentmindedly flicking through the local newspaper when he came across the notices section. There it was in black and white.

_Ifan and Gladys Jones are proud to announce the birth of their son Ianto Dylan Jones._

Jack smiled.

'Welcome to the world Ianto Jones,' he said softly to himself. 'Maybe we'll run into each other some time.'


	2. 1987

1987 

The first time Jack Harkness entered Jones & Sons Tailor's shop it was because it was his last hope.

The proprietor, Ifan Jones studied the coat, well, that is to say what was left of the coat, very carefully; and there wasn't much. The right sleeve was torn almost completely off and the back looked as though it had been shredded by something very sharp.

'You're my last hope,' Jack said to him. 'I've tried a couple of other places and they said I should just throw it out.'

Ifan Jones shook his head.

'Let me guess – you went to Martin Allen?'

Jack nodded. Ifan Jones rolled his eyes.

'That sounds like something he would say. He can work a sewing machine just fine but he has no eye for detail.'

'Do you think you can fix it? It's very special to me.'

'It will take me a few days Mr Harkness, and I'll need to order in this particular fabric. We don't get much call for 1940's military wear around here.'

Jack looked relieved.

'Thank you so much Mr Jones. Whatever the cost, I'll pay it.'

'May I ask how the coat got damaged?'

Jack shifted uncomfortably.

'It was an accident. Work related – I can't really discuss it.'

Ifan nodded.

'I'll just go and telephone my supplier and see how quickly they can get the fabric to me.' He disappeared behind the curtain that separated the back rooms from the main shop floor.

Just then Jack noticed a dark haired child coming in from the back room. He looked to be about four years old.

'Taddy, I finished colouring,' he said holding a picture in his hand. He looked around and then looked at Jack.

'Where's my Taddy?' he asked.

'He's just gone to make a phone call,' Jack replied. He smiled at the boy. 'What have you been drawing?'

'My dog,' he said proudly as he held the picture up to show Jack. 'He's called Bertie.'

'Wow what a good picture,' Jack said as he looked at it.

'What's your name?' the boy asked.

'I'm Jack. What's yours?'

'Ianto; is Taddy making you a suit?'

Jack shook his head.

'No, I'm rather hoping he can mend my coat for me. It got torn.'

'Did you fall over? Taddy mended my trousers when I fell over and ripped them.'

Before Jack could answer Ifan Jones reappeared in the shop.

'Ianto – what have I told you about coming out here when I've got customers?'

'But I was bored,' Ianto replied.

'I'm so sorry,' Ifan said to Jack. 'My son, he's only four. My wife works on Fridays so I have to bring him. I hope he wasn't annoying you.'

'I wasn't being 'noying,' Ianto said tugging on his father's arm.

'Honestly, it's fine.' Jack replied.

'Well the suppliers should get the fabric to me tomorrow. I should have the coat ready for you on Wednesday.'

'Thank you,' Jack replied as Ifan picked up the coat and hung it on a coat hanger. Ianto watched him intently.

'Are you a soldier?' he asked Jack.

Jack smiled.

'Why do you say that?'

'That's a soldier's coat. My Action Man wears one. Action Man's a soldier.'

'You're a clever kid,' Jack replied. 'I was a soldier once. I used to fly aeroplanes.'

'Wow,' Ianto said; his eyes wide.

Ifan Jones affectionately ruffled his son's hair.

The second time Jack Harkness entered Jones and Sons Tailor shop he was excited to collect his coat. He'd felt strange these last few days without it. He felt incomplete somehow.

As he entered the shop he saw Ifan Jones standing talking to a woman with very nice legs. Jack recognised her immediately – although she wouldn't remember him. It was phone- box lady. Gladys Jones; he saw Ifan's son Ianto holding her hand tightly; of course, Jack felt stupid not to have made the connection sooner, but then there were an awful lot of Jones's in Wales.

'Ah, Mr Harkness,' Ifan greeted him. 'Your coat is all ready for you; I'll just fetch it.'

He disappeared into the back room.

Jack looked at Gladys Jones and smiled faintly. He remembered the last time he'd seen her – how she'd shot a weevil with his gun. Of course she had no memory of that. She noticed him watching her and smiled.

'Mommy,' Ianto whispered tugging at her coat. 'That man's a soldier like Action Man.'

Jack couldn't help but laugh.

'It appears I made quite an impression on your son; we met a few days ago,' he explained.

'Oh, I see,' she smiled. 'Hello, I'm Gladys – Ifan's wife.'

'Captain Jack Harkness,' he said kicking himself the moment the words left his mouth. Gladys seemed to pause for a second looking at him.

'Captain Harkness...' she repeated. 'You look strangely familiar to me – have we met before?'

'Um – no,' Jack lied. 'No, I don't think so.'

'Oh,' she shook her head. 'It must just be me. You look ever so familiar.'

'I've just got one of those faces,' Jack tried to put her off. He couldn't afford for her memories to start to surface. Luckily at that moment Ifan emerged with Jack's coat.

'Here we are – would you like to try it on, Mr Harkness?'

'Uh – yeah sure,' Jack nodded.

'Well we'd best be off,' Gladys said. 'Come on, Ianto – Tad's got work to do.'

'Bye cariad,' Ifan kissed his wife's cheek. 'See you later sport,' he said to Ianto.

'Bye Taddy.'

As Gladys and Ianto left the shop Jack slipped the coat on. Ifan had done a lovely job. It looked as good as new.

'Wow,' Jack said. 'I'm impressed.'

'The stitching is invisible,' Ifan explained. 'Luckily apart from the rips, the garment was intact.'

'I'll try and be more careful in the future,' Jack replied.

It was then that they heard a screech of tyres, a loud bang and a blood curdling scream.

Jack and Ifan raced out of the shop door. The sight that greeted them was horrific. Blood; blood was everywhere. A blue fiesta had smashed into a lamppost across the road. The screaming continued it was a woman's scream.

'Help my baby – please!'

Then Jack saw the body; tiny Ianto Jones was lying in the road.

'Everybody stand back!' Jack yelled as he ran to the boy's side.

Gladys Jones was clinging to the body of her son; his head was covered with blood.

'Please get back,' Jack told her. Ifan pulled his wife back and wrapped his arms around her – he was staring in shock at the body of his son lying in the road.

Jack could hear the sirens in the distance but they were too far away; there wasn't enough time. Ianto wasn't breathing.

Jack checked the pulse; he couldn't find one. As he began chest compressions on the boy's small frame out of the corner of his eye he saw the driver of the car that had hit Ianto stumbling out of the wreck, seemingly unhurt.

'Come on, Ianto.' Jack said through gritted teeth as he pushed down on his chest willing him to survive.

_Please_ he prayed silently. _Please God, don't take him. He's just a child. Take me instead of him._

He could hear Gladys Jones crying behind him; calling her son's name.

It was when Jack leaned down to put another breath into Ianto's mouth that it happened; Jack felt it before he saw it; some of his own life force was leaving his body. Ianto seemed to glow golden for a moment; then Jack felt him take a breath.

The paramedics were racing towards them now; Jack stood back to let them take over.

'He's breathing again,' Jack managed to gasp to Ifan and Gladys who were staring at Jack with an expression of shock and awe on their faces.

Jack knew it was impossible; the boy had been dead but then he'd started breathing again on his own. He watched as the paramedics stretched Ianto into the ambulance and Ifan and Gladys both climbed in after him. Then Jack was left alone; standing in the road.

There were police officers interviewing the driver of the fiesta. Jack knew they would want to speak to him as well but he made a habit of avoiding the police – a throwback from his days as a con man – and so Jack just slipped away into the crowd.

The third time Jack entered Jones and Sons Tailor shop it was with a sense of foreboding. He'd wanted to go in to enquire after Ianto for a few weeks but he hadn't been able to work up the courage. He'd tried looking in the local paper – which had reported the accident (the driver had been drunk) but failed to mention what had happened to the victim. Jack wanted to know if Ianto was ok, but he was terrified that he might not be. Jack didn't think he could bear to be told that the little boy he'd fought so hard to save had died.

The bell rang and Ifan Jones emerged from the back room. He stopped dead when he saw Jack.

'Mr Harkness...' he greeted him.

'How's Ianto?' Jack asked.

Ifan paused and for a second Jack's stomach dropped to the floor.

'He's going to be fine.'

Jack let out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding.

'He was in a bad way; he's got a broken leg and he had to stay in hospital for two weeks – but he's going to be fine.'

'Oh thank God.'

'I was hoping you'd come in; I want to thank you, Mr Harkness for saving my son's life.'

Ifan put his hand out to Jack and Jack shook it.

'I just did what anybody would have done.'

'No, that's not true – nobody else on the street rushed to help him. You saved his life. I – I'm forever in your debt.'

'That's really not necessary. I'm just glad I was able to help. I'm so relieved he's going to be ok – he's a tough little guy.'

'He is,' Ifan mused. 'He thinks the whole thing was rather exciting actually; once he got out of hospital. He keeps saying he wants to be a superhero when he grows up so he can save people.'

Jack smiled.

'Maybe he will be.'

'Oh,' Ifan said suddenly, 'I almost forgot.'

He reached down behind the counter and pulled out a piece of paper.

'Ianto drew this picture for you, to say thank you. I told him if you came into the shop that I'd give it to you.'

Jack took the picture, he felt surprisingly touched. He'd never had a picture drawn for him before. As he looked at it he realised that it was a drawing of him, wearing a long "soldier coat" as Ianto had called it. He was standing next to a small boy who appeared to have a cast on his leg – Ianto and another figure who Jack couldn't identify until he looked at what Ianto had written in childlike scrawl on the bottom of the page: Me, Jack and Action Man.

Later in the Hub he would pin the picture up at his desk next to his computer. His colleagues would often wonder about it; but they never asked and Jack never told.


	3. 1998

1998

Jack Harkness didn't know whether to be honoured or insulted by his current assignment. Alex could be a sarcastic bastard at times. There had certainly been more than a hint of sarcasm in his voice when he'd handed Jack the file.

'This should be right up your alley, Harkness. We need you to go undercover.'

Jack had studied the file. Something was killing men in Cardiff. There had been five victims in the last two weeks. The police had passed it on to Torchwood because of the way the victims had been killed; specifically they had huge bite marks on their necks. They were not human teeth marks but seemed more like an animal. The victims had nothing in common except for one thing.

'They were all killed while cruising for sex in the park?' Jack yelled across the Hub at Alex.

'Told you you'd like it,' Alex replied.

'Let me get this straight – you want me to go undercover in the park to find the creature that's killing gay men?'

'Yes, Jack.'

'Regular Friday night for you, isn't it Jack?' Becky had piped up. How that girl loved to tease.

'Jealous are you, Blondie?' Jack replied, 'because you know if you ever want to come along and join in you only need to ask – there's always room for one more.'

'In your dreams, Jacky boy,'

'Always,' Jack winked at her.

'So will you do it Jack?' Alex asked him.

'Do I get to have sex with somebody?'

Alex rolled his eyes.

So that was how he came to be here, standing in the cold park dressed in a tight black t-shirt and dark blue jeans underneath a tree he was lingering in the background, surveying the scene for any sign of the alien.

This was the third night this week that he'd been here and he'd found nothing. He'd had more than a couple of offers in that time but not from anyone that he would have been likely to touch with a barge pole and not one of them looked remotely like the alien that witnesses had described.

Jack was rapidly losing hope and thinking of calling it a night. It was 2:30 in the morning. All the other attacks had taken place around midnight. That was when he noticed a figure walking slowly down the path nearing his direction, a figure that looked strangely familiar. Jack began to approach....

---------------

It was cold and it was dark and Ianto Jones was starting to think that running away from home had been a very bad idea.

He was sitting on a cold bench in a park that was becoming scarier by the minute. This was a place that Ianto loved to come in the daytime. But by night it was a completely different place. The trees felt as though they were closing in around him and he could hear sounds that he was unable to identify; the rustling in the bushes.

He thought about going back home but by now his parents would have realised he was missing. God, how could he go back now? He was already in so much trouble. He couldn't stand seeing the look of disappointment in his mother's eyes; knowing he had let his parents down was the thing he couldn't live with. That was the reason he'd run away.

He thought about finding a phone box and calling Danny. But he pushed that thought away as quickly as it had come. Danny always told him never to call him at home.

Ianto stood up and began to walk. He needed to get out of the park. He'd read a survival guide once when he was a kid; back when he was still going through his phase of wanting to be a soldier. He remembered it by heart and he knew that to stand any chance of surviving in the great outdoors you needed to find shelter. The park was too open and exposed to the elements. Ianto planned to head back into town and find somewhere to sleep; maybe a bus shelter or a shop doorway – just until morning when he would be able to think more clearly.

He walked down the path heading towards the North exit. There were no lights in this section of the park and Ianto found the darkness claustrophobic and suffocating. He was aware of someone watching him.

Ianto turned around. There was a man standing under the tree staring straight at him. Something about the man's gaze made Ianto stop dead in his tracks; the man began to approach him.

'You ok kid?' the man asked; he was tall with dark hair and dressed in dark coloured clothes. Ianto eyed him suspiciously.

'I'm fine,' Ianto replied, trying to sound confident.

'I've not seen you around here before. How old are you?'

'Fifteen,' Ianto answered.

The man let out a slow breath as he looked Ianto up and down.

'You're a bit young, kid. But I'm not complaining; you're gorgeous. Are you looking for a good time?'

It was clear to Ianto exactly what this stranger wanted from him and he felt suddenly very frightened. He wanted to run away from the man but his legs were routed to the spot.

'Er – I'm on my way home actually,' he stammered.

The man smiled.

'Come on, don't give me that. You're not on your way home are you, not at this time of night? You could come back to mine and stay. I've got a lovely comfy bed; built for two...'

The man trailed off as he reached out and ran his hand down Ianto's arm.

'So beautiful; so young,' suddenly the man grabbed Ianto and tried to kiss him.

Ianto reacted instinctively, he tried to push the man off but found that his grip was too strong. Ianto brought his right knee up and caught the man right between his legs unleashing a cry of pain. The man doubled over and Ianto tried to make his escape but again the man grabbed him.

'You little bastard,' he yelled as he slapped Ianto across the face, knocking him down. The last thing he remembered was seeing the man's face suddenly change and the feeling of the concrete hitting his head before it went dark.

---------------

Jack Harkness had recognised the alien immediately. He stalked towards it with all the skill of a hunter wanting to remain unseen for as long as possible. He drew his Webley from the holster. He'd seen the injuries this predator had inflicted upon its victims and he knew it wouldn't go down without a fight.

Jack was observing it from behind a tree when he heard a noise and saw the creature stop. It was talking to someone – a dark haired young man. Jack realised he was using the term loosely because he couldn't have been more than sixteen years old; just a child really.

Jack felt a rush of fear that this boy was about to become the creature's next victim. He took aim with his weapon but he couldn't get a clear shot. The boy was in the way.

The fight was over in seconds. Jack saw the alien grab the boy's arm and the boy retaliated; then came the slap and Jack saw the boy fall to the floor. He reacted without thinking now he had a clear shot he took aim and pulled the trigger.

* * *

Ianto was aware of people talking but they sounded far away.

'I'm sorry for calling you in Becky but I couldn't take him to a hospital.'

'It's no problem, Jack. It's my job. He's a lucky kid; lucky you were there.'

'Yeah – he was going to be that thing's next meal.'

'What was he doing in the park at that time of night anyway?'

'I have no idea. He had a bag full of clothes with him.'

'Do you think he's a runaway?'

Yeah maybe,'

'I'll see if I can find out who he is. His parents must be out of their minds with worry. I'll be upstairs if you need me.'

'Thanks, Becky.'

Ianto heard footsteps leaving. He opened his eyes and found himself staring into blue ones; the bluest eyes that Ianto had ever seen.

Jack looked at him in surprise. He'd expected him to be out for a while yet.

'Hi, how are you feeling?'

Ianto coughed to clear his chest and he tried to sit up. Jack gently placed an arm on his shoulder.

'Woah, take it easy kid. You've got concussion you took a nasty knock to the head.'

Ianto lay back down on the bed.

'Where am I?' he asked.

'What do you remember?'

'I was in the park; there was a man. That's all I remember.'

'Ok – yes there was a man. Do you remember him hitting you?'

Ianto's eyes went wide.

'Yes – he hit me. Then his face changed. It was like a monster. Or maybe I was dreaming that. Am I in hospital?'

'No,' Jack replied. 'You're in Torchwood.'

'What's Torchwood?'

'We're an organisation that monitors alien activity and technology on Earth. We protect the human race.'

'Ha,' Ianto laughed. 'Yeah good one; I've seen Men in Black.'

'Oh don't even get me started on all the inaccuracies in that movie,' Jack sighed. 'Look, kid its true. You weren't dreaming about his face changing because it wasn't a man that attacked you in the park, it was an alien. It's called an Oligrey. It feeds on human males. It craves the testosterone.'

'What?'

'It's killed a lot of people. You were shaping up to be its bedtime snack. Lucky for you, I was there.'

Ianto's eyes were wide.

'You saved me?' he asked.

Jack nodded.

'Why were you in the park?'

'I don't – I didn't – are you going to phone my Mam and Tad? They'll kill me.' Ianto was becoming distressed, Jack could sense it.

'Look, relax. Nobody's going to kill you. My name's Jack Harkness, I saved you from the bad guy remember?'

Ianto just stared.

'Look you're safe now. My friend Becky fixed you up. She's a doctor. You'll be fine in a couple of hours.'

Ianto let out a sigh of relief. He didn't know why but he trusted this stranger. It might have been his eyes, or the fact that he was gorgeous. Ianto wasn't certain, but he made him feel safe.

'What's your name?' Jack asked.

'Ianto Jones.'

Ianto saw a flash of something in Jack's eyes and he seemed to study him carefully for a moment after that.

'What?' Ianto asked him.

'Oh, nothing,' Jack replied softly. 'So what were you doing in the park?'

'I ran away from home,' Ianto said.

'Why?'

'Because everybody hates me.'

Jack swallowed a smile at the sheer youthfulness of Ianto's words. It had been a long time since Jack was a teenager but he remembered the angst well enough.

'I'm sure that's not true.'

'It is.'

Jack remembered Ianto's parents well, even though it had been a long time since he'd seen them. They had been a loving couple and he couldn't seriously imagine them ever hating their son.

'Why would you think that?'

'I did something really stupid and now Mam and Tad hate me.'

'What did you do?'

Ianto looked at Jack seemingly wondering if he could trust him with his secret. He didn't want this gorgeous man to think badly of him.

'I got arrested,' he mumbled.

Jack tried to hide the look on his face but Ianto saw it immediately.

'Yeah, my sister had that look on her face when she found out.'

'What did you get arrested for?' Jack wasn't sure if she should pry but he was too curious.

'Shoplifting,'

'Oh,'

'Mam and Tad really disappointed. My Mam cried and my Tad was so angry.'

'What did you steal?'

'Nothing, it wasn't even my fault,' Ianto replied defensively. Jack looked at him sympathetically, urging him to tell the story.

'It was my – Danny; my boyfriend Danny.'

'Your boyfriend?' Jack raised his eyebrows.

'Yeah, what of it?'

Jack shook his head.

'Nothing – carry on.'

'I'm not gay if that's what you're thinking. I only do it on the weekends.'

Jack fought the urge to smile once again. Ianto continued.

'He's eighteen and I know my Mam doesn't like him, but she doesn't know him like I do.'

'Does your Mam know that you're...'

'I'm not gay. I've just got a boyfriend is all.'

'Hey, I'm the last person to categorise anybody. I don't do labels. If you like men you like men. It's no big deal.'

'It would be to my Mam and Tad. No they just know he's my friend.'

'But he got you into shoplifting?'

'It's his mates. They rob stuff all the time. One of them – Carl lifted these DVD from the supermarket. He put them in his bag and walked out the shop. I didn't know he'd done it. Of course all the alarms go off and the security guard starts chasing us. Carl passed the bag to Danny and Danny passed it to me. I got caught with it.'

'And they just let you take the blame?' Jack could tell where this story was going.

'I had to. Danny's already got a criminal record. He'd go to prison. I can't let him go to prison.'

Jack sighed. He understood why Ianto's parents didn't like this Danny. Jack wasn't too keen on him either and he'd never met him.

'Did Danny know what was in the bag?'

Ianto nodded dejectedly.

'So, now you've got a criminal record,' Jack said, 'for something he did.'

'Yeah,'

'And if you'd done it would you have let him take the blame?'

Ianto looked down at the floor and didn't reply.

'He just doesn't sound like a very good boyfriend to me.'

Jack touched Ianto's arm. Ianto looked into his eyes; they were so blue.

'You should go home, Ianto.'

'I can't, Mam and Tad will kill me for running away, especially after everything.'

'They'll be worried sick. Believe me, they might be angry but they'll be more relieved to have you back safely – you know you could have been killed tonight.'

Ianto felt sick. Jack was right he had almost died. He'd almost died before but he didn't remember it. To him, being hit by a car was just a story that got told about him. He had no memory of it actually happening. This was different. He knew he would never forget this night. He had nearly been killed by an alien. He suddenly wanted nothing more than to see him Mam. He looked at Jack again.

'Thanks for saving me,' he said.

'No problem, just doing my job.'

'Can I go home now?' Ianto asked.

'Sure, I tell you what – you drink that glass of water and I'll just go and get my things and I'll go and phone your parents and tell them I'm bringing you home.'

'Ok,' Ianto smiled as he took a sip of the retcon laced water.

Fifteen minutes later Ianto and Becky were standing on Ianto's doorstep. Jack was waiting in the car. He didn't want the Jones's to recognise him, even though it had been eleven years, if they recognised him there would be awkward questions asked. He watched Becky ring the bell and seconds later the door was flung open. Jack recognised the face of Gladys Jones as she pulled Ianto into a tight hug. Ifan Jones appeared behind her.

'Ianto!' she screamed. 'Oh my boy; where the hell have you been?'

Her gaze fell on Becky.

'I'm D.S. Smith ma'am,' Jack heard her introduce herself using her fake police identity. 'My colleague found him wandering around by the park. We had a chat with him and he asked to be brought home.'

'That's my girl,' Jack thought. Now, when Ianto woke up that was the story he would remember.

'Are you alright?' Gladys asked Ianto. 'Did anybody hurt you?'

Jack saw Ianto shake his head.

'No, I'm ok. I'm sorry Mam.'

'Come inside,' she gently ushered her son into the house before turning to Becky.

'Thank you so much for finding him.'

'Just doing my job, ma'am, our doctor has checked him over, he's perfectly fine but he's tired. They asked me to recommend letting him sleep tonight before you try to talk to him about what's happened.'

Jack saw Gladys Jones nod in agreement.

Becky got back into the car and Jack drove off towards her house.

'What a night,' Becky said.

'Tell me about it,' Jack replied. 'But that's what I love about Torchwood, one minute you're fighting an alien testosterone junkie; the next you're the angel of the happy ever after.'

Becky smiled.

'He seems like a good kid though – he'll be ok.'

'I know he'll be ok but what about me? I spend three days cruising and not once have I gotten laid.'

'Aww poor baby.'

'No. No "poor baby". Alex promised me I'd get laid if I took this assignment.'

Becky rolled her eyes at him.

'You'll have to take that up with Alex.'

'You know, Blondie you could always take me up on my offer...'

'No, Jack.'

'One day, Becky. One day you'll give in


	4. 2006

2006

_Blood; there was so much blood. It would never come out. It was on his hands. It was everywhere. Lisa's blood; Annie's blood, he would never be clean again. _

The lights of Cardiff were spread out before him. There was a time when he would've seen nothing but the beauty of the night time; when he was a boy and the streetlights reminded him of a giant fairground but now as he stood on top of that multi storey car park, all he saw was the ugliness of a dark and empty world. It was empty without her.

The wind was cool against his cheeks drying the tears as they fell.

Just six months ago he'd been on the top of the world. Was it really only six months? It felt like he'd been playing this game forever; sneaking around behind their backs, fading into the background, never giving anybody cause for suspicion, having sex with Jack because – no, Ianto wouldn't think about him. Not tonight. His last thoughts would be of Lisa, not Jack Harkness.

_So much blood and a whispered 'go home, Ianto.'_

He'd never wanted anybody to get hurt. He just wanted to fix her. He'd just wanted his Lisa back.

His Lisa; now she was dead. Her broken body was lying in a pool of blood on the floor of the Hub.

Ianto reached into his pocket and took out the ring; Lisa's engagement ring. Six months ago he was going to ask her the question. He never got the chance. He brought the ring to his lips and kissed it.

'I love you, Lisa,' he whispered. 'I'm so sorry I failed you. I'll be with you soon, Cariad.'

He had nothing left now. There was nothing to live for.

Ianto stepped up to the ledge and sat down on the top of the multi storey car park. It seemed a long way to fall. He hoped he'd be dead before he hit the ground.

'Ianto?'

The voice behind him was softly spoken almost a whisper but Ianto recognised the accent immediately. He should have known.

'Leave me alone, Jack.'

Ianto didn't turn around to look at him. He continued staring at the ground.

'I'm sorry, Ianto I can't do that.' Jack's tone was calm and steady. Ianto was aware that he wasn't moving closer. He stood back afraid to startle him.

'Why? Please Jack.'

'Are you going to jump?' Jack asked softly.

Ianto let out a loud sob in response.

Jack began to move slowly towards Ianto. When he reached the barrier Ianto finally turned his head to look at him.

'Don't come any closer, Jack.'

'Ok,' Jack halted a couple of metres away from Ianto. 'Do you really think this is the answer?'

'I've got nothing left.'

'That's not true, Ianto. You've got us. All of us.'

'Ha – yeah, I've got you. I've got Torchwood; fucking Torchwood.'

'And your family; your Mam and Tad.'

'I haven't spoken to them for two years, Jack; like I said: I've got nothing left.'

Jack didn't speak for a moment. He tried not to panic but he was so scared. Ianto was so close to the edge in more ways than one. He couldn't lose him. He couldn't.

'How did you find me?' Ianto asked.

'Toshiko. She followed you on the CCTV. She was worried about you. We all were.'

'I betrayed you.'

'Yes, you did.' Jack replied.

'Why would you be worried about me?'

'Because you're part of my team; you were right about what you said before. We all took you for granted. It doesn't mean that we don't care about you. I care about you.'

The words Jack had spoken earlier that night as he pointed a gun at Ianto's head told a different story.

'_Execute her or I'll execute you both.'_

'I deserve to die.'

'No. No, Ianto. Don't talk like that.'

'I failed her, Jack.'

'You didn't. You did your best for her Ianto. You loved her. It was the Cyber men who killed Lisa. They are the only ones to blame.'

'I just want the pain to stop. I've been hurting for such a long time.'

'I know. I know Yan and I'm sorry. I didn't see it.'

Ianto began sobbing again.

'Please give me your hand, Yan. Let me help you.'

'Nobody can help me, Jack. I just want it to be over so I can be with Lisa again.'

'Lisa wouldn't want you to die, Ianto. You know that. She would want you to carry on.'

'Don't you fucking dare mention her name. You have no idea what she would want.'

'I'm sorry, Ianto.'

Ianto's shoulders slumped and he looked back down at the ground again.

'What did you do with her body?'

'We cleaned it up.' Jack's voice was thick with emotion. 'Owen needs to remove the cybernetic implants; they need to be destroyed. We'll keep her body in the morgue.'

For a long time there was silence. Ianto was lost in thought and Jack was watching him carefully, scared to move in case it pushed Ianto too far.

'I can't do it on my own.' Ianto said it so quietly Jack barely heard him.

'You don't have to. We all want to help you. Let me take you home and call Owen ok? He can give you some sleeping tablets for starters.'

Ianto shook his head.

'Please just let me end it, Jack.'

'I can't lose you, Yan.'

'Why's that, because you enjoyed fucking me? I'll be easy to replace – Gwen seems like an awfully obliging sort of girl.'

Jack shook his head.

'It was never just about sex for me, Yan.'

'Yeah well it wasn't about sex for me either. It was just a convenient way to keep you distracted.'

Ianto saw the flash of hurt across Jack's face and he felt even guiltier, but then that was just the latest in a long stream of lies he'd told Jack Harkness since he started working for Torchwood 3.

Jack regained his composure quickly.

'Yeah well – the point is Ianto. I want to help you. I want to be your friend if you'll let me.'

Ianto looked at Jack with a strange expression that Jack couldn't read, but then he'd never been good at reading Ianto Jones. Maybe that was one of the things that were so appealing about him.

'You want to be my friend, Jack?'

'Yes I do. Please Ianto give me your hand and come away from the edge. We can talk properly.'

'Are you going to Retcon me?'

'No. Believe me, Ianto I know it doesn't seem like it to you right now but you have so many people who care about you. There's a place for you at Torchwood if you want it, but even if you don't I still want to help you. I'm not going to abandon you.'

'Oh Jack, what the fuck am I supposed to do?'

'You don't have to decide anything right now. Let me call Owen and take you home. You need rest. You can take some time off – go and visit your parents. Then you can decide what you want to do.'

Ianto looked at Jack with a searching expression. Then slowly he reached out for him and Jack moved closer taking his hand and pulling Ianto back away from the edge. He wrapped his arms around Ianto and held him while Ianto sobbed into his chest.

Owen was waiting at Ianto's flat when Jack pulled the SUV up outside. Jack took Ianto's keys from his shaking hands and unlocked the door. Once they were inside Owen sat Ianto down on the settee and turned to Jack who was hovering in the doorway.

'Could you wait in the kitchen, Jack?' he asked, 'doctor, patient confidentiality and all that.'

Jack nodded and made his way into the kitchen. He filled Ianto's kettle and began to make Ianto a mug of sweet tea to help calm him down.

Jack thought back to his early memories of Ianto; the little boy drawing in his father's tailor shop, the teenager lonely and frightened who just wanted to go home to his parents.

They hadn't spoken for two years.

Why? Jack thought to himself. The Jones's hadn't seemed like the kind of people to lose contact with their son. Jack felt another twinge of guilt. He'd never asked Ianto about his family. Even when he realised, fairly soon after he'd hired him that he was the same Ianto Jones, he'd never asked.

'_When did you last ask me anything about my life?'_

He'd taken Ianto to his bed but he'd never asked about his family. He would never do that again. He would be there for Ianto no matter what.

It was half an hour before Owen's head appeared in the kitchen doorway.

'Good,' he said when he saw the tea, 'just what he needs.'

He picked up the mug and carried it through to Ianto. Jack heard Owen give orders to 'sip it slowly' before he made his way back to Jack in the kitchen.

'Right,' Owen began. 'Ianto's asked me to tell you what's going on. He's not really up to doing much more talking tonight. I've given him a tablet to help him sleep.'

Jack nodded.

'He's in a bad way, Jack. I'm not going to lie. He's suffering from PTSD which we already knew about, add to that severe depression and anxiety; thoughts of self harm and suicide.

'I've given him some strong anti-depressants and sleeping tablets. He's exhausted. I'm signing him off from work for four weeks minimum.

'If he was any normal patient I'd be referring him for counselling but it's not like he can go and talk about this to someone outside of Torchwood. I do have some training so I'm going to see him a couple of times a week and see how we go.'

'Will he be ok, Owen?'

'He's got people who care about him, Jack. He's grieving and in shock at the moment but it'll get better with time.'

'I should've seen this coming.' Jack sighed.

Owen shook his head. 'You can't blame yourself, Jack. He didn't want you to see it.'

Owen left shortly afterwards with a promise to call in the next day. When he left Jack sat down next to Ianto who was just staring blankly at nothing. He didn't seem to register Jack's presence until Jack gently placed a hand on his shoulder.

'Yan?'

'She's gone hasn't she Jack.'

Jack nodded. 'Yes, Ianto, I'm sorry but she has gone.'

Ianto swallowed back a sob.

'Can I see her?'

'Soon,' Jack replied. 'I promise I'll take you to see her soon.'

Ianto said nothing in response, but Jack didn't remove his hand from Ianto's shoulder.

A few minutes later Jack helped Ianto undress for bed. He needed rest and Owen's sleeping tablet was quick to take effect. As Jack covered Ianto over with the duvet he leaned down and placed a chaste kiss on the top of Ianto's head.

'I'll see you tomorrow.' He said as he moved towards the bedroom door.

'Jack,'

'Yes, Yan?'

'Stay, please.'

Jack smiled slightly and moved around to the other side of the bed. He climbed in beside Ianto, still fully dressed and wrapped his arms around him.

He was still holding him when Ianto woke up in the morning.

2008

Jack and Ianto were lying in bed. The same bed they had slept in on that fateful night almost two years previously.

Jack was lying on his back with his arms wrapped around his younger lover. Ianto's head was resting on his chest listening to Jack's heartbeat.

'I never thanked you,' Ianto whispered softly as he played with Jack's chest hair.

'For what?' Jack asked.

'Saving my life,' Ianto replied, 'after Lisa.'

Jack didn't say anything. He just brought his hand up and began to stroke Ianto's forehead soothingly.

'I would've jumped.'

'But you didn't.'

'Only because you stopped me; at the time I was hurting so badly but you fixed me, Jack. You never turned your back on me.'

Jack kissed his forehead. 'I never will, Ianto. I'll always be here to look after you.' _I always have been._

'I know,' Ianto replied. 'I love you, Jack Harkness.'

'I love you too, Ianto Jones. My Ianto Jones.'


	5. 2009

'_Ianto stay with me; Ianto stay with me please.'_

Ianto knew he was dying. He was fighting to stay alive but it was all in vain. This was the end. He was going to die here on the floor of Thames House. The 456 had won. There was no way back from this. He was dying. He was dying in Jack's arms.

He could hear Jack saying his name over and over like a mantra. He was begging Ianto not to leave him and more than anything Ianto wanted to stay but he knew that this time he couldn't. He was being forced to disobey his Captain's orders.

He was dying.

He felt Jack's arms around him. The same arms that had fought with him after Lisa; held him after the cannibals; made him feel safe and protected him night after night; the one place where he felt that he truly belonged; that he was truly loved.

He closed his eyes and he knew this was the end.

As slipped into unconsciousness he felt Jack's lips press against his one last time as Jack kissed him goodbye...

---

'Ianto, can you hear me? Please wake up sweetheart. Open those beautiful blue eyes for me.'

Jack's voice sounded far away but Ianto forced his eyes open to look for him. He was lying in that hospital bed and as he turned his head slightly to the side he saw that Jack was sitting in the chair beside him, holding his hand.

'Ianto!' Jack exclaimed when he saw Ianto's eyes flutter open. 'Oh thank God. Thank you God.'

Ianto tried to speak but his throat was so dry that no sound came out.

'Here drink this,' Jack held a cup of water and put the straw between Ianto's lips.

'Jack,' Ianto said once he'd finished drinking, 'where am I? What happened?'

'You're in hospital sweetheart. You've been unconscious for three days but you're going to be ok. Oh Yan, I thought I'd lost you. I was so scared.'

'I was dying wasn't I?' Ianto asked. 'I breathed the gas.'

Jack nodded and Ianto saw his eyes fill with tears.

'It's my fault,' Jack told him. 'I'm so sorry Yan. I should never have taken you into that building. I knew what the 456 were capable of.'

'Shh,' Ianto replied softly, reaching for Jack's hand. 'I wanted to go with you. Not your fault Cariad.'

'I love you Ianto. You know that don't you?'

Ianto nodded. 'I've never doubted it Cariad.'

Over the course of the next few hours, Jack explained to Ianto exactly what had happened. The 456 had been destroyed. Just before Jack had succumbed to the effects of the gas, the Doctor, always one for turning up unexpectedly and at the last minute had arrived and dragged both Jack and Ianto out of the room before evoking the Shadow Proclamation decree and forcing the 456 to withdraw.

Jack had tried to talk to the Doctor but he had explained himself to Jack only in so far as telling him that it was his way of making things right before the end.

'What do you think he meant by that?' Ianto asked.

'I don't know for sure,' Jack replied solemnly. 'But then he took off in such a hurry – I get the feeling that I won't be seeing him anymore – at least not for a long time.'

Ianto reached out and squeezed Jack's hand.

'I'm sorry Cariad.'

Jack shook his head. 'He saved your life. He stopped the 456; God knows what I would've had to do to stop them without his help.'

'But what I don't understand,' Ianto began carefully, 'is how I survived at all. I could feel myself dying Jack. I breathed the air. How didn't I die?'

Jack looked down at the floor. 'The kiss,' he said softly.

'What?'

'The kiss. I kissed you – just before...' he trailed off.

'I know,' Ianto replied. 'But how did that stop it?'

'I think I transferred some of my life force into you,' Jack explained. 'I don't know how it works but it's happened before – after Lisa and...' he stopped himself.

Ianto smiled. 'So you saved me?'

'I think, maybe it gave you the strength to hold on. But Yan if it wasn't for the Doctor pulling you out of there...'

'Hey,' Ianto replied. 'Don't think like that. He did and I'm ok.'

'Yeah,' Jack smiled. 'Yeah – you're ok.'

'Now,' Ianto said seriously. 'When do I get to meet Alice and Stephen?'

---

Four weeks later Ianto was sitting at his desk in the newly acquisitioned warehouse down by the Cardiff docks, Hub 1.5 as he'd affectionately named it. They would rebuild of course, but it would take time and so temporary facilities had been put in place.

Jack had hardly had five minutes to stop and draw breath. He'd been in meetings with various Government and UNIT officials almost every day. The Prime Minster had been removed from office; a General Election had been called and procedures were being put in place to make sure such an incident would never happen again. It was important work, but it meant that the day to day business of the clean up and salvage operation was being left to Gwen and Ianto.

Gwen had taken charge at the site of the old Hub. She was organising the team UNIT officials and making sure that all technology and paperwork that they found was recorded; packed up and transferred to the temporary holding facility, where Ianto was taking charge of cataloguing and organising everything in accordance with his system.

There was still no way of knowing exactly how much had been lost. It would be impossible to tell until they reached the lower levels and all the debris was cleared away. Ianto privately suspected that it would take months to finish the clean up, not the weeks he knew Gwen was hoping for.

He opened up one of the smaller boxes that had arrived in the last UNIT truck and found it to be filled with papers. He began to sort through them; they appeared to be files from Jack's office as amongst them were copies of official documents and UNIT correspondence, then Ianto saw something which made him stop short.

It was a picture; a child's drawing. At first, Ianto thought it was the work of Stephen, Jack's grandson but then he looked closer. It was a drawing of three figures; the smallest of which resembled nothing more than a black squiggle on the page, the second was of a small boy with what appeared to be a plaster cast on his leg and the final figure was a grown man in a long coat and the childish scribble underneath read _me, Jack and Action Man._

Ianto looked at the picture and suddenly he was four years old again. He remembered drawing that picture, when he'd been sitting at home with a broken leg he'd drawn that picture to say thank you to the man who had saved his life.

'Jack,' he breathed.

'Hey,' Jack's voice behind him made Ianto jump. He turned around to face his lover. Jack was smiling his million dollar smile at him. 'What have you got there?' Jack asked.

Ianto didn't say anything, he just held out the piece of paper. Jack took it, curiously. When he saw what it was his face fell.

'Ianto – I can explain...'

'It was you wasn't it?' Ianto interrupted him. 'You were the one who saved me? When I was hit by the car? It was you?'

Jack nodded slowly, trying to gage Ianto's reaction to the news. His expression was unreadable.

'Why didn't you tell me?'

'I don't know,' Jack replied honestly. 'I wanted to but – I didn't really know how – it's weird.'

'What do you mean? How is it weird Jack? You saved my life.'

'Because that's not the only time.'

Ianto frowned. 'I know. You've saved my life loads of times in this job. I still don't...'

'I mean before Torchwood,' Jack explained. 'It's not the only time before Torchwood.'

'Oh,' Ianto replied with a look of increasing puzzlement. 'Ok. Tell me.'

So Jack did.

He told him about 1983; when he'd saved Ianto's pregnant mother from a Weevil attack and retconned her afterwards and then about 1998 when fifteen year old Ianto had run away from home and almost been killed by a testosterone addicted alien.

'You retconned me as well?' Ianto asked.

'I had to,' Jack told him. 'I brought you to the Hub. It's procedure – you know that. It was for your own good.'

'But - why didn't you tell me Jack? I mean – you knew didn't you? When we met again? You knew I was the same person?'

'Yes,' Jack admitted. 'I thought – if I told you I thought it'd sound weird; stalker-ish. When you first started working here I thought about telling you but then we got together and – I don't know. I didn't want to spoil things.'

'Jack,' Ianto sighed moving closer and wrapping his arms around Jack's neck. 'How could it spoil things? Don't you get it? You've always been there for me haven't you, when I've needed you – even before we were a couple – all my life? God Jack I love you so much.'

Ianto leaned in and brought their lips together in a tender, loving kiss. Ianto's hands twisted in Jack's hair and Jack was running his hands up and down Ianto's back, pulling them closer together.

'Ianto,' Jack sighed. 'Ianto I love you.'

'Let's get out of here,' Ianto whispered. 'Come back to mine Jack. I need to make love to you.'

---

Ianto laid in bed later that night watching Jack sleep in his arms. He could hardly believe it was possible that this one man could have saved him so many times. Something it seemed had been throwing them together for years. Ianto didn't know if it was fate, destiny or some higher power, frankly he didn't care what it was, all he knew was that he loved Jack more than he had ever loved anyone and however long his life might be, he was going to spend it showing Jack that he was loved.


End file.
